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Jails in Indian Country, 2016

Todd D. Minton, Mary Cowhig, BJS Statisticians

December 5, 2017 NCJ 250981

Describes jails, confinement facilities, detention centers, and other correctional facilities operated by tribal authorities or the Bureau of Indian Affairs. This report presents trends in Indian country jails, including inmate counts, characteristics, and offense types; midyear, peak, and average daily populations; admissions and expected average length of stay at admission; rated capacity, facility crowding, and jail staffing; and deaths in custody. Findings are based on BJS's 2016 Survey of Jails in Indian Country.

Highlights:

At midyear 2016, an estimated 2,540 inmates were held in 80 Indian country jails, up 1.2% from the 2,510 inmates held at midyear 2015 in 76 facilities.

At midyear 2016, jails in Indian country were rated to hold an estimated 4,090 inmates, up from 3,800 in 2015.

From June 2000 to June 2016, the overall rated capacity (up 97%) grew at twice the rate as the midyear inmate population (up 43%).